The Salton Sea begins with a voice over by its protagonist, Tom Van Allen (Val Kilmer), describing recent violent and chaotic events in his life as we view a scene of a room on fire, with a partly-incapacitated Tom (dressed in a suit) sitting propped against a wall playing a trumpet.
Amidst the flames we can see a suitcase, a large quantity of loose cash and mementos including a photograph of a beautiful young woman. Apparently close to death, and contemplating the morality of his actions and their role in his doom, Tom begins to describe events that have led up to this moment.
Tom introduces himself both as Tom Van Allen (professional trumpet player) and also his alter ego Danny Parker (speed freak), expressing confusion about his own identity and actions. Tom’s voice-over continues with a brief history of the psychostimulant drug crystal meth (methamphetamine) that has played a central role in his misfortune.
In a series of quick vignettes, accompanied by Tom’s voice-over, we are introduced to the invention of methamphetamine and use in Japan prior to and during WW2, its prescription use in the USA by housewives in the 1950s, speculation about its use by JFK in the early 1960s, its criminalization and distribution by organized crime in the 1970s, and finally its current (2000s) widespread production (seen to be hazardous) by ‘cooks’, distribution by a variety of amateur criminal entrepreneurs and use by addicts (‘tweakers’).
Next we jump to a scene of Danny Parker at a group drug binge that has been going on for three or four days. Crystal meth and other substances are in use and various drug-addled behaviour is on display. In voice over, Tom informs us he has sought out this lifestyle, but for a reason. The party is interrupted as Kujo (Adam Goldberg) announces: ‘We’re out of gack [meth]!’
Danny and his friend Jimmy the Finn (Peter Sarsgaard) leave the drug-house (unsure as to whether it is midnight or noon) to purchase more meth from the dealer Bobby Ocean (Glen Plummer). Danny and Jimmy find Bobby completely intoxicated and agitated, yelling and beating at his distressed wife who is stuffed under a mattress. Bobby threatens them with a spear gun but after some confused word-play eventually agrees to sell them six ‘eight-balls’ (1/8 ounce packets of meth).
Danny and Jimmy return to the drug house where the party continues with more meth snorting and crazed behaviour. As things wind down, with most of the guests unconscious, a stoned Danny sits ruminatively and Tom’s voice over continues: ‘You know you’ve hit bottom when you can’t go any lower… (but) sometimes you see the world so clearly… just what you should have done and just when you should have done it.’ as he watches the remains of a bottle of beer held horizontally in his hand drip into a puddle on the floor. It is apparent that drug use and some kind of past trauma have taken an extremely negative toll on Danny.
The Salton Sea is a 2002 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and starring Val Kilmer, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Kara Unger, Chandra West, Adam Goldberg, Luis Guzmán, Doug Hutchison, Anthony LaPaglia and Glenn Plummer. The film was shot on location in Los Angeles, at LA Center Studios, and the Salton Sea.
The Salton Sea (2002)
Directed by: D. J. Caruso
Starring: Val Kilmer, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Kara Unger, Chandra West, Adam Goldberg, Luis Guzmán, Doug Hutchison, Anthony LaPaglia, Glenn Plummer
Screenplay by: Tony Gayton
Production Design by: Tom Southwell
Cinematography by: Amir Mokri
Film Editing by: Jim Page
Costume Design by: Karyn Wagner
Set Decoration by: Amanda Moss Serino
Art Direction by: Douglas Cumming
Music by: Thomas Newman
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, drug use, language and some sexuality.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: April 26, 2002
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